The Real Deal New York

Residents claim shoddy work plagues Midtown “luxury” condo

The residents of the Alexander in Midtown are suing the building’s landlord over allegedly shoddy workmanship in what was supposed to be a “luxury caliber” building.

Residents filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court last week against developer Alexander Gurevich, claiming that 250 East 49th Street has failed to live up to its marketed high-end standards, the New York Post reported. The building, according to the lawsuit, suffers from leaks and cracks and improperly sealed windows. Cracked glass on the common roof deck, for example, is allegedly patched with clear tape. The lawsuit also claims that promised amenities in the building, including a gym and mail room, were never built. Sewer and water bills weren’t paid for five years and will cost hundreds of thousands per resident to repay, the suit claims.

The lawsuit also names the building’s manager, Taube Management Realty, and its designer, Sydness Architects, as defendants in the case. A two-bedroom apartment in the building is listed at $1.9 million.

Gurevich has previously gotten into some hot water before over the offering plan at the Alexander. In 2010, then-Attorney General Andrew Cuomo banned the developer from selling condominium and co-op units in New York State for three years. The ban followed allegations that Gurevich failed to disclose information about principal investors in the building. [NYP] — Kathryn Brenzel